Come along to our Virtual Coffee Morning and you can buy cakes for 50 Lindens. Sometimes, you will get a slice of virtual cake – but you will always get a recipe so that you can bake these delicious cakes in the real world too. And your money goes to support Macmillan’s vital work to support cancer patients and their carers (as you can read below, the personal story of one longterm Second Life resident).

But that’s not all – because we are having a series of special events for our special Cake Against Cancer too!

Then, at 1pm, the music moves to Prim Perfect’s Head Offices, where from 1 – 3pm, Elrik Merlin will be spinning the tunes, followed by Victor Mornington from 3pm – 5pm SLT.

It’s going to be a great day to support a vital charity.

Cakes are available at Meshopotamia too

About Macmillan Cancer Support – a personal story

Last year, I was contacted by a long term resident of Caledon, Mr Alastair Whybrow, who found Macmillan Cancer Support invaluable. He gave me permission to quote from our conversation.

He said: “I’ve had a great deal of involvement with the MacMillan organisation lately, and they’ve been absolutely marvellous, so I’m heartened to think that my friends here have managed to give something back in return … I’m not overdramatising but it is not a small thing. The role and capabilities of the MacMillan organisation are easy to underestimate, as I myself did. They continue to surprise me with the realistic, practical help that can be given and are almost entirely responsible for my own course of pain management, which has involved a course of radio at Mount Vernon, amongst other things. And from my point of view, I’ve found it to be no exaggeration that the sheer goodwill from others really has helped, even when hospitals, tests and medications fall short. It really has been quite sobering, and moving, to experience for oneself how much difference it makes to one’s own attitude simply knowing that others are out there caring in their own way.

Macmillan Coffee Morning logo

“MacMillan have done things that have surprised me. Clinical dosage (thanks to them my painkillers are now starting to work), organising treatment (especially where the NHS is dragging its heels) and help with benefits – not to mention their counselling … The amazing thing to me is that they ARE a charity! I’m not entirely sure how the organisation itself slots into the NHS but they seem to work with it as a semi-autonomous part of it. And yes, the NHS is paying for these things but it’s MacMillan who got it all organised so quickly, even down to helping me organise the transport; there’s no way I can drive to Mount Vernon like this. Their main role administratively seems to be pointing one in the right direction but things are so complicated that that on its own is a big help, and there are people who can’t handle admin very well, they’re happy to stand over your shoulder … Another factor which some’d find helpful is state benefits. MacM are very au fait with what’s available and how to get it. If a hospital visit’s costing £10 in taxis each time, that becomes very helpful.

“They look at the whole picture of how cancer affects not just you but your family too. They’re happy to speak to your family individually, according to what everyone wants. They don’t just leave you to pass on bad news. I’m lucky in that my family and I discuss everything without holding back, but it’s a comfort to know that McM are there as impartial ears.”

He also added: “What I would be glad to see is more men having themselves examined as a precaution – especially men over 50. Prostate cancer is cunning and can lurk for years before ballooning out. If my own example can persuade one person to get themselves diagnosed in time, then I’ll be very pleased.”

Mr Whybrow passed away earlier this year, supported throughout by Macmillan. Please join us today to help make it possible for them to support more people.

Cakes will be on sale at the Prim Perfect Head Offices until the end of Friday, October 3rd. Or you can simply make a donation directly through our Just Giving page, or directly to Macmillan Cancer Support.